Nilofer Ardalan: We are very motivated for the derby

The head coach of Persepolis women's football team says that he must prepare his players mentally for the confrontation with Esteghlal.

According to "Varzesh Se", Nilofar Ardalan said after the 2-0 victory of the Shahr-e-Pukhash team against Paishih Gas Ilam in the fourth week of the Premier Women's Football League: "First of all, I say to the players and the technical staff, don't be tired. This victory was the result of the efforts and cooperation of all team members. I also tell the Ilam Gas Refining team not to be tired and I wish them success in the competition."

He continued about the process of this match: "In the first half, we managed to score two goals and go to the locker room with a lead, but we knew that the match is not over yet and to keep the result we have to play with more focus and responsibility."

The Persepolis women's head coach emphasized the condition of his team's players: "The match started 10 minutes late and two or three of our players were also suffering from colds. We should have considered all these conditions in our decisions. We tried to manage the physical conditions of the players while maintaining the superiority, so as not to put too much pressure on them."

Ardalan continued: "Perhaps it was expected that after scoring two goals in the first half, we would continue with the same offensive pressure in the second half, but the technical staff should consider the general conditions of the team and the process of the match. At that point, it was more important for us to control the game, maintain the advantage and manage the energy of the players. "I am happy that we were able to finish the match with three points and without conceding a goal."

He emphasized: "Of course, this victory does not mean ignoring the weaknesses. "There are definitely some things that we should try to fix in the future exercises."

The head coach of Persepolis said about the confrontation with Esteghlal in the first women's football derby that will be held next week: "This match has a different feeling for us, the players and fans of both teams. I am happy that women's football will also experience this competition and I hope we will see a high-quality match from a technical point of view and with mutual respect, in honor of the names of both clubs."

Ardalan also said: "We know very well what shirt we are wearing and how important this match is for Persepolis fans. We prepare with a lot of motivation, but we must not let the excitement of the match affect the concentration of the players. I always tell the players that in such matches they should go to the field with a warm heart and a calm mind, play bravely and trust each other."

In the end, he emphasized: "Now all our focus is on recovery and preparation for the derby." We go to the field to win and we want the fans to see a united and fighting team that tries to succeed until the last moment. Our motto is also clear; One heart, one goal, until the last breath."